02 Nov LOOK AHEAD: A Christmas Carol at the Old Red Lion Theatre

Using only Charles Dickens’ extraordinary words and an ensemble of six actors, Neil Bartlett‘s A Christmas Carolbis a bold theatrical reimagining of the classic Christmas story. Through this amazing re-working Barlett pulls to the forefront qualities of love, compassion and forgiveness in a totally new slant on Dickens.

Ebenezer Scrooge is a man who has everything; a thriving business, a house of his own in a popular part of London and a huge stash of money he wants to keep for himself. Best of all, it’s Christmas Eve and he’s about to be visited by his old friend Jacob Marley. The only problem is that Marley is dead. Dead as a door-nail. Scrooge is about to be dragged on a ride through the snowy and uncertain landscapes of Christmas past, present and yet to come. What is to be seen cannot be forgotten.

You will be haunted by three spirits. Expect the first tomorrow when the bell… tolls… God bless us, every… one. Dickens’ quintessential story of ghosts, greed and goodwill is given boisterous new life in this chilling, contemporary, fresh production. Here, the ensemble play all the roles – singing, creating sound effects and new stage configurations through their invigorating physicality. Metal Rabbit (Johnny Got His Gun, Fiesta) and director Gus Miller (The Picture of John Gray) bring you the ultimate Christmas story, unwrapped and stripped-back for today.

Director, Gus Miller says ‘A Christmas Carol is one of our best-loved stories for good reason. It’s vivid, joyous, moving and at times it’s downright scary. Its impact is so powerful that it’s responsible for much of today’s Christmas tradition. With an inventive company of actors we’re exploring how we can bring the frosty London of Victorian times to life on stage and how we can make Scrooge’s story of redemption speak directly to today’s unequal and isolating world.’

Old Red Lion Theatre becomes the Christmas destination this December with Charming – A Farcical Fairy Tale running before A Christmas Carol. This hilarious ‘Charming Alternative to Panto’ will appeal to grownups who have learnt that life is not quite the fairy tale they were led to believe.

For tickets and information: oldredliontheatre.co.uk

Dates: 10th December 2014 – 3rd January 2015